How to Get Affordable Health Insurance If You’re Uninsured or Underinsured

Health insurance is one of the most important things you can have to protect yourself and your family from financial ruin if you get sick or injured. But health insurance can be expensive, and many people don’t know how to get affordable health insurance if they’re uninsured or underinsured.

What is the Affordable Care Act (ACA)?

The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, is a law that was passed in 2010 to make health insurance more affordable for more people. The ACA created a number of new programs and initiatives to help people get affordable health insurance, including:

Tax credits: Tax credits are available to help people pay for health insurance premiums. The amount of tax credit you can receive depends on your income and family size.
Subsidies: Subsidies are available to help people pay for out-of-pocket costs, such as deductibles and copayments. The amount of subsidy you can receive depends on your income and family size.
Medicaid expansion: Medicaid is a government health insurance program for low-income individuals and families. The ACA expanded Medicaid to cover more people.

How to Get Affordable Health Insurance

If you’re uninsured or underinsured, there are a number of things you can do to get affordable health insurance:

Check if you qualify for Medicaid or CHIP: Medicaid is a government health insurance program for low-income individuals and families. CHIP is a government health insurance program for children. To see if you qualify for Medicaid or CHIP, contact your state’s Medicaid agency or visit the CHIP website.
Apply for health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace: The Health Insurance Marketplace is a website where you can compare and purchase health insurance plans. The Marketplace is available in every state. To apply for health insurance through the Marketplace, visit the Marketplace website or call 1-800-318-2596.
Get health insurance through your employer: Some employers offer health insurance to their employees. If your employer offers health insurance, you may be able to get health insurance through your employer. To find out if your employer offers health insurance, contact your employer’s human resources department.
Buy health insurance on your own: If you don’t qualify for Medicaid or CHIP, and you don’t have health insurance through your employer, you can buy health insurance on your own. You can buy health insurance from a health insurance company or through a health insurance agent.

How to Save Money on Health Insurance

There are a number of things you can do to save money on health insurance:

Compare health insurance plans: When you’re shopping for health insurance, be sure to compare plans from different insurance companies. The cost of health insurance can vary depending on the insurance company, the plan you choose, and your age and health.
Choose a plan with a high deductible: Health insurance plans with high deductibles typically have lower premiums. However, you’ll have to pay more out-of-pocket costs if you have a high deductible plan.
Use a health savings account (HSA): HSAs are tax-advantaged accounts that you can use to pay for qualified medical expenses. HSAs can be used in conjunction with high deductible health insurance plans.
Get a discount on your health insurance premium: Some insurance companies offer discounts on health insurance premiums to people who meet certain criteria, such as being a non-smoker or being in good health.

Conclusion

If you’re uninsured or underinsured, getting affordable health insurance is an important step to take to protect yourself and your family from financial ruin if you get sick or injured. There are a number of things you can do to get affordable health insurance, including checking if you qualify for Medicaid or CHIP, applying for health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace, getting health insurance through your employer, or buying health insurance on your own. There are also a number of things you can do to save money on health insurance, such as comparing plans, choosing a plan with a high deductible, using a health savings account, and getting a discount on your premium.